The old adage “you are what you eat” has become a well-known shorthand for the idea that our behaviors and choices shape who we are. However, I would argue that a more accurate saying would be “you are the sum of your habits.” The habits we build, whether conscious or unconscious, have a profound impact on our personality, our values, and the trajectory of our lives.
Habits are the routines and behaviors that we repeat regularly, often without much conscious thought. Things like our morning routine, how we spend our free time, or our approach to work all fall into the realm of habit. What’s interesting is that these small, everyday actions can accumulate over time to have an outsized influence on who we become. For example, the habit of waking up early and exercising might lead to increased energy, discipline, and a general sense of wellness. Meanwhile, the habit of scrolling social media for hours each night could contribute to feelings of envy, reduced productivity, and a more passive lifestyle. In this way, our habits – even the seemingly trivial ones – help define our character.
Beyond just affecting our physical and mental states, our habits also shape our values and priorities. The things we habitually spend time and energy on tend to become the things we care most about. Someone who has a habit of volunteering and giving back to their community is likely to develop a strong ethic of service and a sense of social responsibility. Conversely, someone who habitually puts work above all else may end up valuing productivity and success over relationships or health. Our habits essentially train our brain to deem certain things more important than others, molding our overall worldview in the process.
Finally, the habits we build can have profound long-term impacts on the trajectory of our lives. Habits, by their very nature, are difficult to break – which means the habits we develop in our youth or young adulthood can stick with us for decades. Someone who develops healthy financial habits like saving and budgeting early on will likely be in a very different place, financially, than someone who never learns those habits. In the same vein, a young person who picks up an addiction or consistently makes poor lifestyle choices may find it extremely challenging to course-correct later in life. Our habits, then, don’t just reflect who we are in the moment – they also have a major influence on who we’ll become.
In the end, the notion that “you are the sum of your habits” highlights the incredible power of our daily routines and behaviors. While we may not always be cognizant of our habits, they are quietly shaping our minds, our values, and the trajectory of our lives. By being intentional about the habits we build, we have the ability to take greater control over who we are and who we’ll become. After all, it’s not just what we do in the moment, but the consistent patterns we establish over time, that truly define us.
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If you think these ideas and their application to the homeschool environment resonates with you and you’d like to do more, get in touch. I offer free introduction sessions to explore how I can help your kids improve their self-learning capacity also by helping them figure out their habits. I also offer a growing list of courses and other curated resources to help you become better facilitators for your kids. If you are only curious about my process you can check out my service page.